Orange Grove coaching job draws more than 100 applicants

Monday

ORANGE GROVE — The search for Orange Grove’s new head football coach and athletic director brought in more than 100 applicants, school district officials said.

The school district’s plan is to conduct interviews through February and meet in March to name finalist.

Orange Grove superintendent Randy Hoyer credits the high interest in the Orange Grove coaching job in the recent resurgence in the football program. The Bulldogs have been in the postseason in each of the last seven seasons. From 2011 to 2015, Orange Grove won five-straight district titles and had four 10-win seasons.

“As a new superintendent and someone who saw Orange Grove’s success from the outside looking in, I can tell you that there were a lot of people that worked very hard for Orange Grove to be successful,” Hoyer said. “With that said, that kind success creates a lot of interest for coaches.”

Orange Grove began searching for a head coach and athletic director after the departure of coach Scotty Pugh, who left the Bulldogs after two seasons.

Pugh, who came to Class 4A Orange Grove before the 2016 season from Granbury High School, left the Bulldogs after this past season.

In his two seasons here, the Bulldogs were 7-4 in 2016 and 5-6 in 2017. Orange Grove reached the playoffs in both seasons.

The Bulldogs ended the 2017 regular season with back-to-back district losses to Rio Hondo and Raymondville. They fell to Rio Hondo, 55-41, and to Raymondville, 20-0. The first round of the Class 4A playoffs matched Orange Grove up against Sweeny, who ended the Bulldogs’ run with a 49-0 loss.

Orange Grove was also knocked out of the playoffs in the first round in 2016 with a 48-14 loss to Wharton.

Pugh arrived in Orange Grove to replace Jerry Bomar, who left the Bulldogs in 2016 to take over at Jones High School in Beeville. Bomar left some big coaching shoes to fill. During his run at Orange Grove, the Bulldogs won five-straight district championships and have four-straight 10-win seasons.